Path to the Dark
by EEevee
Summary: The powers are shifting among the Elite Four. Things are falling apart and people are drifting away. New friendships and beginings are being formed.


Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon I do this for the joy of writing that's ALL!  
  
Chapter One   
  
The old woman watched fondly as the young woman in front of her battled skillfully. The challenger's lapras was having a tough time against her houndoom although the water type pokemon had the natural advantage. It moved to use surf as the trainer directed it, but houndoom was too well trained. The dark pokemon pressed forward with supreme speed spewing flames at the blue competitor. Within minutes the trainer's last pokemon was down and defeated.   
  
The trainer had a glitter in her eyes that told of failure and the old woman knew of the determined stance that this blow had not been taken lightly. There would be another battle, a fiercer one if possible. And again if necessary to move up. Those young trainers today; They dominated the fields with one good pokemon and were surprised when they lost. When would they learn to balance the team's experience and levels? She sighed; well that was not her problem it was her charges. She had given that sort of stuff up long ago. Looking back she remembered it so well...   
  
...She peered blankly out the window. It was getting colder and the leaves were changing colors she noted absently. The crimson reds were the prettiest of course, but the sunny yellows were nice also. They reminded her of hot summer days spent with her family as a child. She missed having a family. Her parents had died long ago after fulfilling a long, happy life of each other. They had left her with no siblings and being an only child sometimes felt lacking. It wasn't until her parents had passed on that she realized why. There was no one to turn to, no nieces or nephews to visit every so often. She had certainly never wanted children of her own and even if she had it would have been impossible. None of her relationships had lasted beyond a year and after awhile she simply gave up looking for Mister Right.   
  
Turning away from the large windows she wandered around the room. She ceased to notice the fine velvet hangs pulled back into gilded holders; the soft Persian carpet vibrating with colors beneath her bare feet; the rich mahogany wood that made up the expensive, well-worked furniture.   
She had lived in this house for twenty years and such things were so familiar that they weren't worth noticing anymore. Ever so often she added a floral arrangement or a new statue to make it different, but that was it.   
  
Stopping before a full-length mirror she pushed aside a wisp of gray hair and thought to herself, "Why do I think of such irrelevant things now? Why this lonely feeling that fills me? I have my work, co-workers, and pokemon to keep me busy. In my off time I play golf or simply enjoy the sun in my sunroom. Reading has become a new passion. I have come to appreciate leading a leisure life."   
  
Perhaps it is because you are getting older? A thin voice suggested in her mind and she turned. A black-purple pokemon stood before her. A wide grin covered what seemed to be it's face and two black eyes studied her slightly solemn.   
  
"You should never refer to a woman's age." She informed the gengar somewhat acidic. She wasn't a vain person, but jabs at her age angered her. Had it been someone other than Phantom, her gengar, she would have laid her silver cane to his or her head. Goodness only knows how many times she had smacked Lance for his impudence. Not that his pride had taken it lightly or anything, but he knew better than to ask for more.   
  
You need someone to take care of you. Admit it. The gengar goaded gently and added more seriously, You'll never quit thinking about it until your loneliness is filled.   
  
"Never." She said firmly bordering on cross. She truly did love Phantom, but honestly, he got on her nerves sometimes.   
  
They fell into a companionable silence and she looked to her ghost friend fondly. He had ever right to tease her. She would tolerate just about anything he said to or about her. They had been friends for quite a long time and he would never deliberately hurt her. In fact he had saved her life when she was younger.   
  
Her parents had just died in a plane crash leaving her alone in the world. There were no relatives she could turn to, no good friends or lovers either. True, she was old enough to live alone and had done so for almost five years prior, but she had always stuck close to her parents. Then her loss had seemed unbearable and she had, no was considering using a razor. There were far less painful and disgusting ways to commit but she had felt so bleak and unreachable that the pain was almost welcome. If she hadn't found a sick haunter that morning she would have ended it that evening. Eventually the scars had healed, even the invisible ones. She sold her small house and left forever on a pokemon journey. She had no idea that that decision would lead her to be one of the four most powerful leaders in Kanto.   
  
Phantom had given her back her life and a goal to obtain. To gain all eight badges was her mission and in those days the gym leaders were far more difficult to defeat and the stakes much higher. Well, the only one remotely from her day was Blaine and he was ten years younger. The others had died or retired leaving it to the next generation. A weaker one in her slightly biased opinion. That was another problem that was bothering her even more than not having a family to lean on. Should she retire from the Elite? There were others more than willing and experienced to take her place so why did she stubbornly remain? Yes stubborn. Her motives were purely selfish and her logic asinine. Still she pushed on. Soon, she promised herself and the world, soon.   
  
Chapter Two   
  
Batting a stray wisp of hair with ill will she strode into the meeting room. The others were already there and in the mist of some sort of argument. They ignored her until she slipped into the soft leather chair to the right of Lance. The dragon trainer paused in mid-sentence and grimaced. A scowl had darkened his normally pale face and his eyes were hard. He managed a pleasant smile before stating in a stretched voice, "We have a problem."   
  
"I still say I should be the one to keep her. What do you two men know about raising a girl teenager?" Lorelei asked scornfully. Her ice blue eyes flickered over to Agatha for support, but the old woman was baffled as to what they were fighting over. She shrugged and Lance retorted just as scornfully, "More than you I wager."   
  
"Perhaps we should look into a foster home. Some one who knows how best to deal with her?" Bruno suggested practically. He had stayed out of the crossfire, but now that Agatha was present he stated his opinion. Or rather suggested it.   
  
"No!" Lorelei and Lance yelled together then glared at the other with mistrust. Agatha was becoming impatient with their childish behavior. Her wrinkled face became hard and unforgiving as the silent fury began building. Bruno was the only one to notice and he retreated to the other side of the small room. Well out of harms way if it came to blows which it often did nowadays. Just as Lance opened his mouth to stage a new protest Agatha slammed her silver tip cane on the mahogany table as hard as she could. A resounding smack followed and seemed to echo around the room.   
  
The rest of the Elite jumped before turning to her completely silent. Silent, but in no way obedient. Lance had a rebellious glare plaster on his face complete with a frown; Lorelei had a cold sneer; Bruno was the most pliable with only a tightening of the mouth. Agatha didn't care. If she had to cow them into silence then she would.   
  
"What are you three babbling about? I can't make sense of the nonsense you are spewing at me." Agatha snarled and the others looked to the floor realizing that she truly had no idea what was going on. Perhaps it is time to step down, Agatha though to herself as she eyed the silent members of the Elite. I should have been the first to know of something important. Lance has taken up too much power. She was no longer spending all her time at the office. Maybe a quiet retirement would be best.   
  
Bruno took it upon himself to inform her. He shuffled forward looking for all the world like a school boy answering a question. It was ridiculous to think of such a big man in that way, but was how he seemed. "A   
League trainer died yesterday. She was killed by a backlash of elemental power from her vileplume. They, we, have done the clean up and the other things required by the courts leaving one loose end. She is what we are discussing." Agatha snorted. 'discussing' was not the most accurate of words to describe that spat.  
  
Bruno really shouldn't try to sugarcoat things. She knew that was just the choice bits of the story. Bruno not only sugarcoated things, but he also kept things simple. Simple as in the parts he wanted to reveal. He was far cleverer than the other two gave him credit for. How else had he retained his position in the Elites for so long? Still trying to clear up the story she prompted, "The girl?"   
  
Lance licked his lips at her demanding tone, shot a reluctant look to   
Bruno, and continued where the rock trainer had left off, "The woman had a daughter. The girl is seventeen and I believe she is too old to go through the state. After all, next year she will be an adult in the eyes of the law. We think it would be best if one of us fostered her for that extra year."  
  
Right, Agatha thought, and why would you want to do that? Especially when a half dozen similar cases had been dismissed in the past. What was so different about this one? Lance was hiding something. So was Bruno. Whatever it was she aimed to find out, "No relatives? A family in some distant part of Johto?"   
  
"None, I checked." Lorelei confirmed and Agatha nodded. The ice trainer was a very methodical person. She would have checked everything thoroughly.   
  
"That still doesn't solve our problem." Lance said coming as close to whining as possible while still retaining his dignity.   
  
Agatha glared at him and decided that her subtle prodding was doing no good. It was time to be direct, "What about this girl interests you so much? You, with a young family of your own to deal with."   
  
The two men exchanged glances and the old woman practically growled at their reluctance. She should not have to drag the information out! As senior Elite it was her privilege to know all without having to poke and prod like a furret.   
  
"The girl is a trainer." Lorelei supplied earning two deadly glares from her comrades, "She has the potential to participate in the Johto Elite selection. They," She jerked a slim thumb, "Feel threatened." The ice trainer looked rather smug. After all she had decided to not try out for the Elite.   
  
"What type of trainer? Why wasn't I notified immediately?" She snarled in irritation. She was shocked at how the men were going to pull the young girl out of the competition because they wanted to win. Bruno was looking distinctly uncomfortable now shifting from foot to foot. Lance merely looked defensive. That annoyed her even more.   
  
"One of the new types. She's a dark trainer." Bruno murmured loudly. Her pointedly ignored her second question entirely. It hadn't been his idea to leave her out.   
  
" Dark, huh? It seems to me that she would be best suited to live with me." Agatha said happily noting the surprised and angry looks her declaration earned.   
  
"Now wait just a minute here. Just because you are a ghost trainer doesn't automatically make you the right choice." Lance jabbed in a fury at being thwarted.   
  
"I will have her." Agatha said in a voice as cold as winter snow. She seemed to tower threateningly over the three and there was a dangerous glint in her eyes. She wasn't going to back down from this.   
  
"Fine. I wouldn't really know what to do with her anyway." Bruno muttered just loud enough to hear. He realized that the chances were slim that he would get her to begin with. He gave a slight incline of his head and strode out of the room without another word.   
  
"Witch." Lance hissed in her ear and she had half a mind to beat him over the head. Stifling the urge she watched as he stalked out stiff legged.   
  
"Ouch, someone's pride was hurt." Lorelei commented maliciously then added in a normal voice, "Good luck."   
  
Chapter Three   
  
"So what's your name?" Agatha asked the blonde-haired girl sitting quietly before her. She was slender and tall with long legs. Her silvery hair shimmered over her straight shoulders and down her modest chest. Her dark eyes were cast downward to the umbreon in her lap. It trilled happily as it enjoyed the caresses she gave its back.   
  
"Karen Blacke." The girl replied steadily. There was a trace of sadness in her small voice and a hint of steel as well.   
  
"Well, my name is Agatha. This is my house and it comes with a set of rules." Agatha preached feeling foolish and inadequate. She had no idea what she was doing. She felt silly and old laying down the rules as if the girl was a known convict.   
  
Agatha pulled out a list and Phantom snickered in the background. The ghost type seemed to be the only thing so far that had held the girl's morbid attention. She wasn't sulky or pout because it was more like she was brooding. She listened quietly with her hands on the umbreon and her face cast down.   
  
"Where is the training gym around here?" Karen asked suddenly. There was a vivid expression on her pale face and a twinkle in her dark eyes. Something that truly interested her was pokemon.   
  
Agatha was startled and relieved. It seemed the girl was every bit as dedicated to pokemon training as she had been told by the other Elites. She wouldn't go out and party until dawn or drink until she was passed out on the floor. Agatha's wild imagination has merely conjugated those things up based on the stereotype teenager and modern television shows. She had severely misjudged the girl.   
  
"There are none here at the Indigo Headquarters." Agatha replied and watched as the girl's face fell she continued unsure of herself, "However, if you would like I could train you personally. In my training gym."   
  
"Yes, that sounds great." Karen agreed in delight. Her umbreon danced around happily catching the excitement before jumping back up to the girl.   
  
~ Next Day ~   
  
"You are doing what!" Lance yelled at the top of his lungs. His face was red with fury and his fists clenched.   
  
"After all those years we have worked together? You would throw it all away in one day?" Bruno questioned in unison with Lance's outburst.   
  
"My time is done. It's time to put the old rapidash out to pasture." Agatha replied coolly. She wasn't sure she was ready to give it up, but she pushed forward anyway.   
  
"I always assumed that I would be the one to quit first." Lorelei mused. They all knew that out of the four of them that she was the least serious about her job.   
  
"Well, I have something else now to monopolize my time." Agatha continued almost snapping. Could these people take nothing without some sort of resistance! Bruno clenched his jaw making it jut out, but he did not speak. Lance, however, held no such restraints. He voiced his opinion with vengeance, "Karen. You are training her. Against us! Forcing apart a friendship, a partnership that is over nineteen years old for a girl!"   
  
"She is my way of keeping in touch with the world. Aside from that, what do you suggest I do when she begs to train? Stifle her abilities like you were planning to do?" Agatha retorted with venom. She didn't mention that she saw herself in the girl or that Karen was the daughter she had never had. Looking at Lance she realized that it might not have been best to add the last accusation.   
  
"So be it." Lance whispered in a fury. His voice was rough and coarse from all the abusive yelling, but that was not way he whispered. He did it to prove he meant what he had said and would hold to it forever.  
  
After nineteen years Agatha knew he was serious about it. He would never forgive her or speak with her for that matter. In his eyes they were finished. She also knew that Bruno would most likely follow the dragon trainer's led although not to such an extreme. Merely far enough to prove that it was over and she had been a traitor. Lorelei would keep in touch, but the woman had always been distant and occasionally cold as the ice attacks she ordered.   
  
Lance sighed and continued in a normal voice, "So it ends. Farewell Agatha. I hope your choice leaves you satisfied in the end. May the Dark serve you well." With a whirl of his cape he disappeared out the door and out of the old woman's life.   
  
The remaining two watched as the straight-backed old lady marched out the door after him. Her conservative skirts swished against her ankles importantly and her wispy white hair blew with an invisible force of air. With that Agatha was no more an Elite.   
  
Chapter Four  
  
"Murkrow return." Karen cried sending a red beam out to retrieve her fallen pokemon. She grinned at Agatha and stated, "You won again."  
  
"I have the experience to beat you. It comes with time." Agatha said shrugging her thin shoulders expressively.  
  
Karen nodded in agreement. Agatha had found herself liking the girl from the first day. The teen was quiet and dedicated to the training of her pokemon. She didn't go out to wild parties or get high. In fact, she seemed to avoid her peers and was reserved. She just didn't want to associate with her peers very often. Perhaps it was pride or maybe contempt, but Agatha pinned it on feeling like an outcast.  
  
"Do you think I'll win? I mean there are tons of trainers out there that are really good not to mention Lance and Bruno. They are just as difficult to defeat as you are." Karen asked worriedly. If there was one thing the girl lacked it was self-confidence.  
  
Agatha snorted, "A good water/ice type takes them both out with no problem. As I recall a girl by the name of **Cye did just that with her vaporeon."  
  
"What happened to her?" Karen asked curiosity. She was always interested in past trainers.  
  
"Oh, she became champion for awhile. One day she just up and left to challenge the Johto League. To my knowledge she beat them too. Dashed off in search of a new challenge." Agatha chuckled and then it turned into a snicker, "I remember the day Lance found her missing so well. He was livid about the champion leaving with only a note as a notice to her whereabouts. It was quite an uproar."  
  
"You don't think she'll be competing do you?" Karen asked with concerned on her pale face and dismay in her voice.  
  
Agatha shook her head partly in no and partly at the lack of self-confidence Karen had. If only she would get over that. Erasing the thought from her mind she smiled and said, "Hurry now and get ready. The taxi comes in a half hour and the flight is in two hours."  
  
Chapter Five  
  
"Welcome to the competition that decides the outcome of the Johto Elite. Two hundred trainers and their pokemon have come for the chance of earning that honor." The announcer boomed over the speakers with the usual twittery voice.  
  
"I have butterfrees as big as pikachus in my stomach." Karen admitted as they strolled into the big stadium.  
  
"Hopefully they are not electric." Agatha joked gently.  
  
"Battling in ten minutes in ring two is Karen Blake verses Scott Potiona." The announcer yelled in the long list of scheduled battles.  
  
"I don't know." Karen said uncertainly. She was getting cold feet and having doubts. She squirmed at the thought of looking a fool in front of all those people. One look at her new guardian's face set her right however. There was nothing but steel and confidence in her covering the old woman's face.  
  
"Get your pokemon. They trust you, they will do their best for you." Agatha said with quiet strength. She nodded and for a brief moment her face was a clash of emotions. Biting her lip she pulled out a pokeball and handed it to Karen with a brief, "Here."  
  
Karen's eyes widened as she recognized the who the pokemon was confined in the ball, "Phantom? You...you can't give him up. He was your first pokemon ever. He brought you to the Elite."  
  
"You can take him and you will. He needs to battle. That is something I am not doing much of these days. I know you will treat him well. He will tolerate no less." She added with a wry grin, "Now, get ready for your first battle."  
  
"Thank you." The girl managed with tears in her dark eyes and a smile on her pretty lips.  
  
  
...Agatha smiled as she recalled the last bit. Karen was certainly not a shy, unconfident girl any more. She held an even composer of confidence and pride. Agatha strained to hear the last remark Karen said to the trainer who had lost.  
  
"Strong Pokémon. Weak Pokémon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites"  
  
Author's Note: Hope you liked it. Please tell me what you think ^__^  



End file.
